Mechanical, lineal, rotary, flexible, push-pull transmission device



-May 18, 1948. POTTER 2,441,719 MECHANICAL, LINEAL, ROTARY, FLEXIBLE, PUSH-PULL TRANSMISSION DEVICE Filed Aug. 21, 1945 2 sheets-sheet 1 Zkrezor:

Zee 170 iter,

May 18, 194,8.` l POTTER 2,441,719

MECHANICAL, LINEAL, ROTARY, FLEXIBLE, PUSH-PULL TRANSMISSION DEVICE Filed Aug.v 21, 1945 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2' Patented May 18, 1948 MECHANICAL, LINEAL, ROTARY, FLEXIBLE,

PUSH-PULL TRANSMISSION DEVICE Lee R. Botter, Long Beach, Calif., assignor to y Southwest Products Co..

Application August 21,1945, serial No.'611,s40

5 Claims. (Cl. 7117-501) My invention relates to that type of transmis'- g sion devices which is adapted to freely transmit `the lineal reciprocable motion of a flexible shaft around curves Yfor ,actuating a driven element either axially or revolubly. More particularly it relates to a transmission device having an outer flexible tubular guide casing and a flexible reciprocable shaft therein of either solid or cable type which is slidably supported by a series of freely disposed hollow bearings within said casing. These bearings are so designed as to per- Vmit free longitudinal'movement of the shaft in the casing as well las free flexing of the casing and shaft, whereby the shafty may perform its function evenly, smoothly and with ajminimumgof resistance. v

An object of the invention is the production of a device of its kind which is light in weight and which permits of gradual or abrupt curves of the shaft when used without binding or reducing the effectiveness of the device.

Another object is the production of ,a device of its kind by which` the resistance of the longitudinal movementof the shaft in its guide casing is reduced to -a minimum and its construction permits of effecting application ofv lubricating medium to its moving par-ts. f v

A further object is the production of a device ofits kind, the construction of which enables its userfor light or heavy work such as the reciprocation or revolution of delicate instruments, gearing or other mechanical movements without sticking yor refusing to function and Without the application of excessive-force.

Among still further objects is the production of av device of its kind which is simple and in-` f lexpensive in construction and which readily permits eiilcient mass production of its parts. Y

To these ends my invention comprises' the featuresV of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings forming part of this specication, Fig. `1 is a side elevational view of a transmission device constructed yin accordance with my invention and *showing it applied to a rotary driven element; Fig. 2 is a partial side elevation on an enlarged scale of a detail portion of my improved transmission device, the major portion of the view being in central longitudinal section; Fig, 3 is 4an end view on an enlarged scale of one of the hollow bearing elements in which the thrust shaft is slidably supported inthe 'flexible tubular casing; Fig. i is ai view similar to Fig. 3 looking at the opposite end of the `bearing element; Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section' ofFlg.13

Fig. 6 isa longitudinal taken on the line 5'-5;

section of a detail showing adjustable 'means which may be applied tothe seriesv of bearing elements for taking ,up slack betweenV said bearings kto prevent backlash; Figg'l is a side elevation, partly in central longitudinal section of a portion ofthe manually operating portion of Vmy improved transmission device; Fig. 8 is a central longitudinal section -of a ydetail on `an enlarged scale showing an alternative construction ofA theh'ollowbearing elements, and Figs. 9, 10 .and 11 are central longitudinal sections' of details' on an 4enlarged scale showing Vstill further alternativejconstructions of the bearing elements.

Referring particularly to Fig, 1,A Yrepresents a. ilexible transmission device constructed in accordance V,with my invention,` having an outer tubular' casing B land cylindricalv end applicators 4C and D. The end applicator C is shown for illustration attached by the fixed coupling E tothe housingof :a rotary transmission F of usual type, whereby the longitudinal reciprocable movement Vof a manually operable thrust shaft G (Fig. 2), contained in the flexible casing B is convertedinto the rotary movement of adriven member. The Vapplication of my improved flexible transmission device to a revoluble driven member is only illustrative, it being understood that it-may. be applied to Vany lineal or other transmission use when ever desired.

The construction of the ilexible guide casing B is of usual type and is composed of an annular series of longitudinal. spring Wire strands I0 brazed or suitably secured at their end portions to the rigid coupling elements C and D and held Lbound together by the flexible helical coil of such as' solid or resembling la cable.

My 'improvement 'provides improved bearing means for ilexiblyand slidably supporting the -recil'nrocable actuating shaft G in the guide casing sorthat the shaft may reciprocate freely 4while the' device is shaped about any abrupt or gradual curve or contour.V The bea-rings for the shaft"4 comprise aseries of hollow shells H of partial .spherical shape, each of which'correspends inv outer diameter'with the inner 'diame- 3 ter of the casing B. These bearings extend in close formation between the inner ends of the coupling elements C and D and resemble thin shells which are formed with inturned coaxially disposed bearings l2 and I3, corresponding in inner diameter with the outer diameter of the shaft G to provide a free reciprocable support for the latter while the shells are freely movable in and supported by the casing to compensate any shape of the latter. Each of the bearing shells is formed on one end with a `concave seat I4 which the convex end surface of the adjacent bearing shell is freely socketed and held as shown in Fig. 2 to permit free flexibility of the casing and of the series of bearings therein. *In thisA manner a freely flexible transmission unit is produced which will not kink Iand which permits K the shaft G to reciprocate freely in any position assumed by the casing.

rG and `within vthe flexible ycasing IB. 'This slack adjuster is adapted lto compensate Yany looseness rand hold or retain the bearing shells .in 'close re.-

lationship :longitudinally and in `free working condition at a'll times in the casing. v.llt consists of a pai-r of male and femalelextensible units 2li and 2l which are threadedly engaged'togetherat 2.2 and seated by their'outer .convex and concave Vends 23 and 24 against the corresponding ends of the adjacent bearing ,shells'of the series in the casing. The extensibleunits 2i! and 2| are slotted axially at Various positions peripherally, such `asat 'to permit a tool such as a screw driver to be inserted Vfor. revolving the members of the couple and thus shortening'gor lengthening the assembly. The .casing B Vis `narrowly slotted such Zas atV 2,6 to' permit .the insertion' of the tool through the .wall 'of the casing to engage the extensiblemembers 4.of theassembly. The slots inthe casing may be closed :by seal .proof covers (not shown) In this manner Vadjaustm'ent can bemade without any control: disassembly. rhe female member of .1;he11nit,y it will 'be noted, corresponds freely 'but vclosely-with the inner Idiameter of the casing B. By the use `.fnfithisad.- justing means any'ioosen'ess between the `members of the train of bearings can be easily compensated .to remove any Vslack and backlash.

The casing vBand sha-ft vGr are shown provided with manually operablemea-ns, for reciprocating the shaftin the casing-'as shown in 'Fig. 7.

outer .end of shaft Gis provided withone section Si! of a Vseparable coupling. The other section 3l of said coupling is separably interljoole-d with `section `Sil and extends outwardly through ya rigidly supported tube e2V in iWbioliiit reciproeetes `lireely. The outer extremity of member 3l has struction provides a simple and effective means for holding and guiding the manually controlled operating end of the flexible shaft on the outer end of the flexible casing.

The shell bearings employed in the flexible easing may be variously modified within the spirit of my invention, typical examples lof Which are illustrated in'Figs. 8 to 'l1 inclusive.

In Fig. 8 the lineal bearings 36 and 3l for the shaft G in each of the shells H are constructed as separate Junits and inserted and brazed in the wa-llpf the shell instead of being formed as an "integral part'of the shell. This construction is 'mt'erid'ed '.togfacilitate manufacture when suitable formingapparatus is not available for producflflg A,the integral type of construction. In Fig. 9 the spherical shell is formed in two sections 38 and 1339 which are suitably joined together, this also being intended to aid manufacture by permit-ting the parts torba stamped out of material. 110 the bearing `llilits All `-are of VAelliptical .Y e ioneitudinallyiiistead of Circular and the axial bearings 4l for the shaft fG are in lthe reduced ends of `each unit. ln 11 the shaft bearing shells ef more radical shape in which eachse-ll unit is formed ananmilar Vportion 42 which .corresponds .in .diameter with the inner diameter of .the casing B is curved longitudinelly'to 'provide ,a free working sentar.; with the surfaceof the casing `s otilil'f the casing and shaftfmay lineally vflex freely.Y The annular Vportion .of the shelly unit is abruptly Shaped inwardly' io provide a pair .of inwardly diversi-ne @rid portions Elliand '4.4, These `eriiacl por-- tending axial .enclbeoriaes vlli and 4t in which the shaft 'G is adapted to refoiproeatefreely. These beering'iinits areessemloled in e train with the .ends of the sheftloearzifnss .of adjacent bearing units freely abutting to V.permit free Aflexing and reciprocal movement .of the shaft.

, Inaccordance with the patent statutes I have described 'the principles offoperation of .my invention .together with the .construction thereof which LI .now consider .to represent the best embodiment thereof but I 'desire to have it under,- stood that the structure shown is only illustrative .and that the invention Lcan-befcarried out 'by other means and applied' tenses .other than those aboye Setfoietli within 7the spirit lthereof and the scope of the.following.claims.V y

l. A lineal actllaor! comprising@ longitudinal easing, e ilexible shafteXtend-ing long, Y d-,l-rially through said .casina end-a series 'of freely ortic- .ulated boerin-g. "Shells oveblyfheld seid cosine, `eel-eli of'seili .ovine inter-ned yaxially `@Disposed enolbeorioes bieb ,Seid .Slee-it ,is .slidobly ori-.d iieiiiblyzellsportesl.

2.' A lineal actua cries of `.freely withinsaid reir of elle-11s teilte vireel-y seeks-fee. together to permite-free movement thereb eiweeii.

In astrueill eies'ileried .in 1elaim2, the respeotii/e shells bem-g of substantielSpiieriealeonestinoiu defined 2,tne reeing siibsiaiitilallyi` renier in .cross section andgof snbstaritialellibticai contour longitudinally.

tions uterminate inwardly in 'longitudinally Yex,

5. A lineal actuator. comprising a casing, a shait extending longitudinally through'said casing, and a longitudinal series of freely articulated which is rotatively seated in said socket to prol vide free universal compensating action between each pair of shells.

LEE R..V POTTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

Number Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Sneed Dec, 15, 1931 Rosner May 30, 1933 Huck Oct, 10, 1933 Batterson et al. July 10, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France July 19, 1930 France Jan. 19, 1934 

